Herb Riddle's photos

The wild west coast of Ireland is here becalmed by a slow motion capture of time. These poles, I know not if they are an old wreck or groynes, make an attractive centrepiece in these soft waves. This taken at Rossbeigh in County Kerry. Enjoy large.

Another view towards the Island of Yeronissos near to Agios St Geogios, Cyprus. A fine walk along this coastline shows us many crags and little caves. If you can get to them like I have here, they make for a nice photo frame. It would have been nice if I had caught the island between the 'anvil' or at the highest point of the inverse 'V' but we cannot always see these things when snapping. I hope that you forgive me. Enjoy large.

A view across the beach to Ballinskellig castle. Seen on our Valentia Island/Ring of Kerry tour. Ballinskelligs Castle is more commonly known as McCarthy Mór Castle. It is in fact a Tower House and was built in the 16th century by McCarthy Mór. It is thought that it's purpose was twofold. Firstly to protect the bay from pirates and also from which to charge a tariff on incoming trade ships. www.theringofkerry.com/ballinskelligs-castle Enjoy.

After browsing today, a 1925 photo book of old Germany, every large page in magnificent sepia, I was tempted to remind myself of how our modern digital scenes might look again using this effect. Here, after a brief cold snap, is a local reservoir, seen in quite a different light. Enjoy full size on black. ps look at the dates of this and my last photo here.

These scenes are getting much rarer than they once where over here in England, as more and more of these old brick mills are demolished or ironically, destroyed by fire. Not far from my home, this makes for a rather unusual neck-aching view where for a moment you don’t know if you are going up or down. Of course the solid red rails (or fences) are meant to keep you safe in the event of an emergency exodus here. Enjoy full size on black. PiPs. HFF, have a great weekend.

A view towards the Island of Yeronissos just across the hamlet of Agios St Geogios, Pafos, Cyprus. A short walk south from St Georgios gives you this marvelous view. Of course the windy day had its compensations in the rare roughness of the seas here. Enjoy large.

A warm Spring-like day brings me back at the far end of the series of reservoirs starting with Dove Stones. Here just a few hundred metres from the top of Greenfield reservoir we are looking up towards the Trinnacle rocks. The runner is a thing one sees quite often, as these fell-runners often do a large circuit here - through this narrow valley up to the high rocks and onward along a high ridge path. As you can see with the bright sun just lifting its head over the top left rocks, the lighting was challenging. Enjoy large

The recent cold spell and snowfall provided me with another chance to get a winter fence. Here, just an hours walk from my home is a tree and seemingly the same horse that I have been photographing for years. This time this HFF group has pulled me closer to the fence. I wish you all, a great weekend, Herb

Happy crocus day -well it may not be officially, but it is for me. A couple of hours of February warm sun in our garden brings out these early Spring flowers. A moment of joy in our household and maybe to you here too. Enjoy. Crocus is a genus of flowering plants in the iris family comprising 90 species of perennials growing from corms. Many are cultivated for their flowers appearing in autumn, winter, or spring. The spice saffron is obtained from the stigmas of Crocus sativus, an autumn-blooming species. Wikipedia

Enjoy with me this spectacular view from the high Kerry Cliffs. You cannot grasp the scale of this scene until you see the fence and path along the top of the cliffs on the right here. At the end of which three people are holding a discussion. Of note too here is the natural geology of the rock. Kerry Cliffs offer spectacular views of the Skellig Islands and Puffin Island, (opposite side to this -Herb) over 1,000 feet (305 meters) high. The cliffs were formed over 400 million years ago. Located just 3km from Portmagee village. www.wildatlanticway.com As always - best in full screen size.

A Winter's walk can always turn up the unexpected. Here, we see a rare day of light snow and hoarfrost mixed with a little blue sky and wondrous light. The figure, whom I have named Alice, is seen here taking her dog to see the light too.

For me a rare sight as this Cumulonimbus heads towards us over the Mediterranean here in West Cyprus heralding a great storm. "Cumulonimbus is a dense, towering vertical cloud, forming from water vapor carried by powerful upward air currents. If observed during a storm, these clouds may be referred to as thunderheads. Cumulonimbus can form alone, in clusters, or along cold front squall lines." Wikipedia

Looking North from the fishing pier at the small harbour town of Knightstown on Valentia Island, one can see the typical daily weather here but with that comes the reward of such lighting as this too. The lowland to the left is Beginish Island with the dark castle-like structure being the medieval Christian monastery and National Monument located in Lough Curranein on 'Church Island', slightly behind. The highest peak here being Mtn Killelan on the mainland of County Kerry. Enjoy full screen.

Taken from just north of Pafos at Sea Caves, looking south. This is a nine shot panorama, all done in portrait mode. Each capture taken via my Tokina zoom at 11mm, 15secs, F3.2, 1600iso. The edges are the coastal rocks of chalky limestone hence the light nature with the low foreground being the sea itself. The lighter low spot is in fact an island, Centre left shows us the constellation of Orion with its bright belt and sword. The bright star to the left of this is Sirius. The light milky bow of the Milky Way, consist of course, of millions of stars. All in all , a far better experience taking this in the mild black evenings of a new moon Cyprus than my Northern England. Again my gratitude to Steve Paxton for his invaluable help in me capturing and creating this.

Enjoy with me, an unusual low view of these famous caves here on the northern side of Pafos, Cyprus Best full screen on black.

We can see this local monument from our windows. To get there, it is a 60 minute walk or a short car ride. In the depth of winter, it is another story altogether, as you can see, my once walked country lane that I traveled –completely blocked by deep snow and drifts. The fence here-part of the scene as well. This was actually taken in 2010. A little too nice to be left languishing and so its nice to present it back here in our HFF group. Enjoy full size on black. HFF, have a great weekend.

The County Kerry Island of Valential can be quite wild as demonstrated here. We have always needed such lighthouses as this to ward off ships from these dangerous rocks. Close up in the PiP. Cromwell Point Lighthouse is maintained by the Commissioners of Irish Lights and is a harbour light to guide vessels from the sea and lead them through the northern entrance of Valentia Harbour past Harbour Rock. The site of the Cromwell Point Lighthouse was originally home to a Cromwell Feetwood Fort believed to have been built in the 16th century which was one of two built on Valentia Island around this time. The outline of the Cromwell Point fort with its bastions and barrack inside its wall can still be easily traced from the air, lying just inside the lighthouse enclosure wall. The fort was maintained after the Restoration and there are various State Paper entries about its repair over the period 1663-1665. It was disestablished in 1669. The first light for Cromwell Point was originally applied for on 30 March 1828 by the Right Honorary Maurice Fitzgerald, Knight of Kerry. Work commenced on the lighthouse ten years later in 1838, the light was first exhibited on 1 February 1841. Since November 1947 the light has been automated. www.valentiaisland.ie/explore-valentia/cromwell-point-lighthouse

The site of the Cromwell Point Lighthouse was originally home to a Cromwell Feetwood Fort believed to have been built in the 16th century which was one of two built on Valentia Island around this time. The outline of the Cromwell Point fort with its bastions and barrack inside its wall can still be easily traced from the air, lying just inside the lighthouse enclosure wall. The fort was maintained after the Restoration and there are various State Paper entries about its repair over the period 1663-1665. It was disestablished in 1669. The first light for Cromwell Point was originally applied for on 30 March 1828 by the Right Honorary Maurice Fitzgerald, Knight of Kerry. Work commenced on the lighthouse ten years later in 1838, the light was first exhibited on 1 February 1841. Since November 1947 the light has been automated. www.valentiaisland.ie/explore-valentia/cromwell-point-lighthouse